N.Korea celebrates army anniversary with military parade [PHOTOS]

North Korea on Thursday celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of its armed forces, the Korean People's Army.

A military parade started at the Kim Il-Sung Square in central Pyongyang, but state television did not broadcast it live, reports Xinhua news agency.

Leader Kim Jong-un was expected to be present at the parade, the second within 10 months after a grand parade on April 25, 2017, and broadcast live in front of the world.

It is not known yet whether the country's latest model of ballistic missile, Hwasong-15, was on display this time.

The Hwasong-15, which Pyongyang claimed was an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the US mainland, was tested last November.

All the roads leading to central Pyongyang have been sealed off since Wednesday afternoon.

The parade was held one day ahead of the opening of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea.

This is also the first time North Korea celebrated its army day on February 8 instead of April 25, to highlight the fact that Kim Il-Sung, the country's founder, developed the Korean People's Revolutionary Army into regular revolutionary armed forces on February 8, 1948.

Source: IANS

Soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the KoreanReuters

Soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the KoreanReuters

Soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the KoreanReuters

Pyongyang, North Korean soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) February 9, 2018. KCNA/via REUTERSReuters

Pyongyang, North KoreaSoldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) February 9, 2018. KCNA/via REUTERSReuters

Soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the KoreanReuters

General view of a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People'sReuters

Soldiers march during a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the KoreanReuters

Soldiers attend a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People'sReuters

Military vehicles are seen at a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army at the Kim Il Sung Square in PyongyangReuters

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the North Korean ArmyReuters